The present invention relates to a locking device for a power feeding plug.
Automobile manufactures are not concentrating on the development of electric vehicles (include hybrid vehicles), which use motors as drive sources and lower exhaust gas emissions. Such an electric vehicle includes a battery, which supplies power to the motor. The battery must be charged in a household or at a charging station whenever the state of charge of the battery becomes low. Thus, an electric vehicle is provided with a charging system that is easy for a user to use. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-161898 describes a conventional example of a charging system. In this charging system, a vehicle includes an inlet (power receiving connector), which is connectable to a power feeding plug that extends from, for example, a household outlet of a commercial power supply. The user charges the battery of the vehicle by connecting the power feeding plug to the inlet of the parked vehicle after coming home. The power feeding plug includes a hook, and the inlet includes a catch. Engagement of the hook and catch keep the power feeding plug and inlet connected to each other. An operation portion, which is arranged on the power feeding plug, is operated to move and release the hook from the catch. This allows for the power feeding plug to be removed from the inlet.
Although a fast charging technique is being developed, the time required to charge the battery of electric vehicles is still relatively long compared to filling a gasoline vehicle with fuel. Moreover, a fast charger is normally not installed in a typical household. Thus, when the user charges the battery at home, the vehicle is sometimes left unattended over a long period of time with the power feeding plug connected to the inlet of the vehicle. In such a case, someone may remove the power feeding plug from the vehicle when power is being fed from the household power supply and connect the power feeding plug to an inlet of another vehicle to steal electricity. There is also the possibility of the power feeding plug being stolen for the metal used in the power feeding plug.
Accordingly, a locking device that locks the power feeding plug to the inlet is arranged in the inlet to prevent unauthorized removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet. The locking device conventionally includes a lock bar, which is driven by a motor and moved between a lock position and an unlock position. When engagement of the hook of the power feeding plug with the catch of the inlet is detected, the lock bar moves from the unlock position to the lock position to lock the hook. This restricts movement of the hook. Since the hook and catch cannot be disengaged from each other, the power feeding plug cannot be removed from the inlet. Then, when an unlocking condition is satisfied, the lock bar is moved from the lock position to the unlock position to unlock the hook. This permits movement of the hook. Operation of the operation portion disengages the hook from the catch and allows the power feeding plug to be removed from the inlet.
In the conventional locking device, the motor that moves the lock bar between the lock position and the unlock position is arranged in the inlet (power receiving connector). Thus, space for the motor is necessary in the inlet or the neighborhood thereof. However, the inlet and its neighborhood have limited space. Accordingly, there is a demand for a locking device that locks the power feeding plug to the inlet without a motor installed in the inlet.